HAI THUR.
This is a team which is basically started off as an anti-metagame team which i built around picking pokemon which countered most of the top used pokemon in OU, and in the building process it led me to using my favorite pokemon; a valued sweeper in gen 4 which for some strange reason got forgotten about in gen 5: Gyarados. It's popularity is finally starting to rise again but it doesn't get enough use as it should do. This team reached 401 on PO server without a GREAT DEAL of thought going into the team, which is why i'm posting it on here, with a little help and common sense i'm open to suggestions for replacements in a few of my pokemon. But anyway it reached 401 for... basically one reason.... Gyarados, and here's how:
I started off the team building process with two things in mind: the current metagame's state, weather, and the predictability of battles these days. So i started off picking pokemon that 1) Oppose/Abuse weather and 2) Are unpredictable, as i believe prediction is basically what wins you a game.
Tested Gliscor>Mamoswine reached a new peak of 228 on PO
Sooo, weather counters, Tyranitar? i thought fighting, Politoed? i thought grass, Ferrothorn is the no1 used pokemon in OU so also needs a counter, I went with Virizon, predictable? I went with a swords dance set.
Never looked back after picking him, i used to use celebi, but was getting more used in OU so needed something less predictable. Next, i wanted another Strong physical sweeper without the weakness to fire... So here it somes... Gyarados, how i've missed you.
With the set i'm using with gyarados, rain support would be great for it, so out comes Kyogr- jokes.
I noticed it was a bit offensive, so i went with the number 1 poke in OU... (how predictable) :( but it does the job of walling... Ferrothorn
Done this in a wierd order, wasn't my total thought process so i'll throw in the other two now rather than BSing
Lastly i tried Gliscor>Mamoswine...
So there you have it, could you believe that team could reach 401? i wouldn't have thought it tbh. But itsss lesss perredictabblee!
So here are the movesets in case you were wondering...
I will expand on my descriptions shortly, I just have things to do
Toad@choice scarf
Drizzle, Modest Nature
252spe/252Spa/4hp
- hydro pump
- hidden power [grass]
- ice beam
- perish song
Spartacus, bringer of rain. Basically what this guy is here for, now excadrill is banned rain is far more superior, It helps out gyarados by powering up its water moves, helps jolteon get an accurate thunder and helps ferrothorn out with fire attacks. Hydro pump in the rain is not to be reckoned with, i think choice scarfed toed is the most superior and goes better on this team than the defensive set. ice beam for dragons + better coverage, hidden power grass says fuck you gastrodon/quagsire/swampert on the switch. Perish song was more of a filler but is tons usedul against baton passing teams and pokemon attempting to set up such as reuniclus.
Thorn@ Rocky helmet
Iron barbs, Sassy nature
252hp/28def/228Spd [0speed IV's]
- spikes
- power whip
- gyro ball
- stealth rock
Well, It's no wonder ferrothorn is the number one most used pokemon in OU at the moment, its walling capabilities are endless, while having the ability to set up hazards as well and some pretty decent STAB moves make it an all round decent pokemon, but i don't need to tell you that, you know why it's good... now the moveset is a bit odd but i can explain: Obviously spikes is helpful in getting my beautiful gyarados to sweep while breaking sashes etc etc, power whip is a great move on ferrothorn because it is good against MOST of the spinners in OU barring forretress, which is also why i have it holding rocky helmet, if it rapid spins, 25% damage done to you and they will think twice about spinning again. Gyro ball wrecks dragons and is my main answer to haxorus once it gets a dragon dance up, while also messing up hail teams, and curse, well... just to make it unpredictable :/ i should really change it though...
Virizon@ leftovers
Justified, jolly nature/naive nature
252atk/252spe/4hp
- swords dance
- leaf blade
- close combat
- stone edge/Hidden power ice
I really get excited about using virizon. It is my main answer to both politoed and tyranitar, while it is also able to counter ferrothorn and rotom-W. It can come in on toed any day of the week and set up a swords dance on the switch, it has great speed and DUAL stab with decent coverage make it a beastly Anti-metagame pokemon and especially wrecks late game. People for one: expect the calm mind set, only to be surprised (the best part is when they switch in to a blissey or something) and able to set up again or just wreck the pokemon that switched out, it also has great synergy with the rest of the team and just works really well. I never rated virizon until i started using it and now i cant get enough. EV's and nature self explanatory. Hidden power ice and naive nature is in testing to give it that little extra surprise edge against gliscor, thanks to Anti metagame for suggesting this. (In testing)
Jolteon@ Life orb
volt absorb, Timid nature
252spa/252spe/4hp
- substitute
- baton pass
- thunder
- hidden power (ice)
Another unpredictable little pest. "Oh he's sent in jolteon" He'll attack next turn" nope! i'll set up a substitute and kill the switch in if i can 2HKO it or just baton pass a substitute onto virizon or gyarados, If i think the switch in is using earthquake, i'll BP onto gyarados and it's pretty much GG. STAB thunder in the rain is deadly especially with jolteons speed, the 30% chance of paralysis is also always good. HP ice is for gliscor, i have no idea why so many gliscors choose to stay in and take the HP ice it boggles the mind... It is obviously a great partner for gyarados due to volt absorb, on the switch i can sub and BP back off to gyarados etc etc it really works great with gyarados.
Gliscorrrr@toxic orb
Poison heal,impish nature
252hp/184def/78spe
- toxic
- earthquake
- ice fang
- protect
SCARFMOXIEDOS@ Choice Scarf
Moxie, Adamant nature
252atk/252spe/4hp
- waterfall
- earthquake
- stone edge
- ice fang
Just look at that thing. ^^^ The mon of the moment Scarf moxie dos is a fantastic revenge killer with STAB waterfall in the RAIN with MAX ATTACK and nobody expects it to be fast so stay in only to realise its holding a SCARF. Revenge kill = +1 attack, and then the fun begins, forces so many rage quite its unreal, but some people argue it's difficult to pull off a sweep with gyarados but i disagree. With the team preview at the start i take my time and see what pokemon are left, i attempt to wipe out any that will resist gyarados' waterfall, send it in and sweep. Prediction is the way to win and using unpredictable mos and sets like this is what has won me most of my battles. Gyarados was a crazy immense sweeper in gen 4 and is totally disregarded in gen 5 despite it gaining the ability MOXIE. I'm using it to make people wake up and realise what they re missing out on, and because it rocks.
Conclusion: This team needs a little work purely because i didn't think it through as much as my last team (stall). But it HAS reach 228 on PO server, i'm gonna run it through on the smogon server see how well it does on there without any excadrills running around. I'm open to many suggestions of replacing pokemon such as mam. But my general rule of thumb when playing with this team is: LOOK AT THEIR TEAM PREVIEW, KILL THINGS THAT RESIST WATERFALL OR THAT MAY BE A PROBLEM FOR GYARADOS. Send him in and sweep.
